Before General Anesthesia

Before your dental operation, there will be a chance for you to address any concerns you may have. We encourage you to let us know of any fear you might be harboring. Our major aim is to ensure a comfortable and secure atmosphere on the day of surgery so you can communicate more with us while we take care of your needs. Here are some guidelines that can help you prepare better for your dental surgery. Please feel free to contact us for any questions.

Leading Up to the Day of Surgery

For patients who have morning appointments, abstinence from food must commence at the midnight. If yours is an afternoon appointment, avoid eating anything eight hours before your dental surgery.

During the abstinence, the patient is only permitted to drink clear fluids such as water, sports drink, black coffee, and apple juice. Beverages you are not permitted to drink include milk, orange juice, creamer, alcohol, and other opaque drinks. Patients should avoid taking any fluid within 6 hours of their surgery. If you are not sure of what and what is not permitted to be consumed, make sure you ask during your pre-op appointment.

It’s safe for patients to continue with the intake of these with a small sip of water prior to surgery:

– Pulmonary medications

– Cardiac medications

– Anti-seizure medications

– Anti-Parkinson’s medications

– Steroids

Some medications that patients are not permitted to take include anti-inflammatory drugs, MAO inhibitors, anticoagulants, aspirins, and aspirins. We encourage parents to stop all medications at least two days before surgery because they may lead to complications during surgery.

Patients are not allowed to take any form of alcohol or tobacco within a day of their appointment and are advised to abstain from smoking or drinking 24 hours after surgery.

Day of Surgery

Minors must be accompanied by their guardians or parents. Patients are required to be taken home by a licensed driver after the appointment, and we prefer that someone accompanies you for 12 hours, at least, after your surgery.

Brush your teeth normally, but make sure you do not swallow toothpaste or water. Also, do not wear any nail polish or makeup.

If you have contact lenses on, please take them off before surgery. You should also remove dentures and jewelry prior to surgery.

We prefer that your shoes are comfortable, loose and flat soled. Shirts with a ¾ sleeve or shorter are preferred.

You will still be a bit unaware after surgery, which means you will not be able to return to work or school, and cannot operate any hazardous equipment. Also, ensure that you are assisted when climbing stairs or performing other strenuous tasks.

If you experience a change in health on the morning of your scheduled appointment, please notify the practice immediately. A fever or cold accompanied by sinus or chest congestion may have an adverse effect on surgery so it is important that you notify our practice of such development. We will let you know if we need to reschedule your appointment.

The first step toward achieving a beautiful, healthy smile is to schedule an appointment